Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Sidney Biggs was shot and killed as he and the sheriff responded to a call of a man wielding a shotgun.
The suspect, a recently released inmate from the Jacksonville State Mental Hospital, had beaten his parents for refusing to feed his dogs. As Deputy Biggs attempted to place the man under arrest, he fired the weapon. Deputy Biggs was struck in the head and pronounced dead at the scene.
The 34-year-old suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. He was released from prison on January 4, 1955, and died a few days later.
Deputy Biggs had served with the Shelby County Sheriff's Department for six years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and child.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-0CCF7F0E- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Biggs gave the Shelby County Sheriff's Office 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Shelbyville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Biggs.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Sidney Robert Biggs is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 9.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Sidney Robert Biggs's cause is highlighted.
How Sidney Robert Biggs Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Sidney Robert Biggs is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Sidney Robert Biggs was killed by shotgun.